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Site Review: MinyanLand

Content: MinyanLand was created to entertain students while teaching about the concept of the open market and the basics of economics and finance.

Design: MinyanLand’s virtual world is pleasing to the eye. The environment is cartoonish, but this is a good way of attracting younger students. The characters with which students interact in this virtual world—Hoffy the Bull and Boo the Bear—seem like a bit much, but given the target audience, their stereotypical roles can be forgiven.

All functions of the platform work as they should and allow students to easily navigate the environment.

Review: The economic system of MinyanLand mimics the real-life pricing of general goods and services. As players participate in the system, their actions impact the overall MinyanLand economy. To keep the economy stabilized, for instance, players must stay healthy by eating on a regular basis. MinyanLand also offers incentives to encourage positive behaviors such as charitable giving.

Everyone starts out in MinyanLand with $50,000 in Minyan Money and a condo worth $50,000. Students can visit the ATM in the Bank of MinyanLand to invest their money, and check it daily to see if their balance has gone up or down. They can also earn more Minyan Money by doing real-life chores their parents assign. The entire platform is designed to give students as close to a real-world financial experience as possible.

The site’s tools effectively teach students the basics of personal finance and a societal economy. Students will walk away from the game with a better understanding of how money works, beyond the obvious “it buys things.”.

Bottom Line: This site offers younger students an easy entry into the world of finance.